major references

It is universally agreed that in appropriate cases persons suffering from serious mental disorders should be relieved of the consequences of their criminal conduct. A great deal of controversy has arisen, however, as to the appropriate legal tests of responsibility. Most legal definitions of mental disorder are not based on modern concepts of medical science, and psychiatrists accordingly find...

Criminal responsibility applies not only to those who perform criminal acts but also to those who aid and abet a perpetrator by encouraging or in any way knowingly helping in the commission of such an act (e.g., by providing information, implements, or practical help). Those who actually perform the criminal act (e.g., wielding the weapon that strikes the fatal blow) are often called principals...